Beautiful Coastal area around the Norman River known as the ‘Outback by the Sea’
Karumba Beach is the only beach you can get to via bitumen road in the Gulf of Carpentaria, an area referred to as the ‘Outback by the Sea’. So, for most travellers to the region, this is the only Gulf beach they will ever visit.
Don’t expect to see pristine stretches of white sand or green grass here, this is not the typical type of beach you see along the east coast from Tropical North Queensland down to the Gold Coast. You actually can’t even enter the shallow parts of the water, due to the presence of crocodiles.
That is unfortunate because it boasts an amazing blue colour that would otherwise just invite you in.
What you can do here is walk along the beachfront and get an up close look of the interesting rock formations that dot the dusty Shoreline. Some of which have been turned into Cairns.
You can also go fishing in some spots and make use of the picnic tables and amenities. If you happen to visit Karumba Beach around sunset, you’ll be able to take in amazing views of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
About Karumba Beach
The beach resides on the eastern part of the mouth of the Norman River and runs for about 1 km up to the point.
Here, it turns and continues northeast for another 2 km, before merging into bosky mangroves that extend for another 9 km
The Karumba Point settlement is situated towards the beach’s western section. It has a fabulous beachfront tavern, called the Sunset Tavern that serves a lovely range of meals and alcohol, which you can enjoy while taking in the sunset views over of the Gulf.
You will also find a caravan park, a handful of shops and a boat ramp here, while the airport runs parallel to the central-eastern part of the beach. There are more amenities and services in the main port town of Karumba, which is about 3 km away from the beach on the banks of the Norman River.
No swimming at Karumba Beach
It is worth re-iterating that Karumba Beach is not a beach you should swim at when you visit the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The beach is not patrolled by surf lifesavers and although the waves are usually quite low, they are frequented by crocodiles all through the year and Marine stingers in the summer months.
Additionally, at the western tip, just near the camping area, the water becomes very deep around the Norman River and has vigorous tidal currents that can be extremely hazardous.
